Ramprakash helps give Pears that sinking feeling

Whoever it was who said that the only sure thing about luck is that eventually it changes cannot have been a supporter of Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Turning up for their first day of championship cricket for getting on for five weeks, using kit cobbled together from various sources after losing several bags' worth in the second New Road floods, the Pears would have dearly loved to have had first use of one of the best batting tracks in the country. It was entirely par for the course, therefore, that Vikram Solanki should lose the toss. The rain that arrived 50 overs later provided relief of sorts, but with Mark Ramprakash at the crease and looking set for yet another big score, it was very much of a temporary nature.

Odd to think that it was only last month that Worcestershire were breaking club records by running up over 700 against Surrey on their own ground. They have barely played since; 180 overs' worth in the last 18 days, they reckon, and if initially they had only themselves to blame, it is impossible not to sympathise with their current plight. However the discussions about the Kent fixture, due to be replayed next week but now all but certain not to go ahead, are resolved in terms of points awarded, Worcestershire appear beyond caring, their collective state of mind now one of complete submission to fate.

That did not stop the director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, stripping down and swimming to his office last Saturday. His bravery - the effluent in the water could be seen, let alone smelt - was rewarded in that he salvaged a number of items of electrical equipment, and Worcestershire themselves did not go entirely without reward yesterday, Gareth Batty tossing the ball up and beating both Scott Newman and Jon Batty with flight as the openers gave him the charge when well set.

Newman was bowled, Batty skied to cover where Roger Sillence took a good running catch, but Ramprakash and Mark Butcher were looking ominously comfortable when someone up there took pity and ended play early. Rhodes does not anticipate swimming to work again in the near future, but the way things are going, would not discount the possibility.